Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
Traditionally, gaming machines operate under control of a processor that has been programmed to execute base games and bonus games in which reel arrays spin and stop to display symbol combinations in a display area. If winning combinations are achieved by the symbol combinations, awards are provided to the players.
The reel arrays include mechanical reels configured in the form of a wheel having a hub, which consists of motors and spokes inside the wheel and occupying an internal axis thereof. Lighting circuitry in these reels is limited to available space outside the motor mechanism and, often, outside the reels. To maintain visual aesthetics, all mechanical and electronic circuits are hidden behind a face plate such as a marquee or a plain bezel. The reel strips themselves are substantially opaque or translucent to hide the mechanical components, and, consequently, limit options for lighting effects.